There’s lots of benefits to following a regular and healthy detox diet plan - apart from the obvious that you’re helping protect and prolong your health, some of the side effects include weight loss, loss of cellulite, better complexion and even a better sex life.

Easy Weight Loss problems

If your digestive system and liver are not functioning effectively, you will find it difficult to keep your weight down. A toxic liver that cannot metabolize fat and cholesterol just dumps them back in the bloodstream. Many toxins are then stored in body fat, and the more fat you have, the more waste you will collect. Conversely, the more toxins in your system, the fatter you are likely to be.

According to the World Health Organization, 76 per cent of men aged between 30 and 69 years are overweight, compared with 65 per cent 10 years ago; 69 per cent of women are overweight compared with 55 per cent in 1995. One in five men and women are categorized as clinically obese. As a nation, we are just getting fatter and fatter, making us much more at risk of life-threatening diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease and cancers.

Fat stores, particularly abdominal fat, become metabolically active like an organ in their own right, pumping out hormones that just exacerbate the situation. A waist measurement of more than 9ocm (36in) in men - 8ocm (32in) in women - is associated with an increased risk of experiencing metabolic complications.

Waist-to-hip ratio

This is a recognized clinical method of evaluating abdominal fat. The waist is measured at the narrowest point, whereas the hips are measured at the widest point, and then the waist measurement divided by the hip measurement gives the waist-to-hip ratio. If it is higher than 1.0 for men and 0.85 for women, you have too much abdominal fat and are putting your health at risk.

Cellulite

This is the orange-peel dimply flesh that women tend to get on their hips and thighs. Men get it too, but it is usually not so obvious because they have more muscle tissue to disguise it. Cellulite is caused by sluggish circulation, which means that lymph fluid and toxins accumulate between connective tissues. Hormone supplements, such as the Pill or HRT, can contribute, as can stress, a sedentary lifestyle, lack of exercise and binge eating.

Skin problems

The skin is a mirror that shows not only how well your elimination organs are working, but also the level of toxins in your body and whether you are lacking vitamins and minerals in your diet. If your skin is very reactive, prone to spots, blotches, rashes, eczema or psoriasis, you probably need to clean out. Toxicity will also make you look more tired and wrinkly, and your skin tone will be yellowy or greyish rather than clear and glowing.